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Florida Delegation Urges Sonny Perdue to Offer Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits

Florida Daily / Kevin Derby / April 5, 2020

Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and members of the Florida delegation in the U.S. House called on U.S. Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue to approve the state's request to administer the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

On March 22, Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote the White House, urging the federal government to activate D-SNAP benefits as part of an emergency declaration.

"D-SNAP allows people who are not typically eligible for SNAP benefits but have been impacted by a disaster to receive aid. In addition, current SNAP recipients could request supplemental benefits to raise their allotment to the maximum amount for their household size," noted U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson's, D-Fla., office. Wilson was one of the leads in sending the letter to Perdue.

"Even in the best of times it is often a struggle for many families to put food on the table," said Wilson. "In the midst of this crisis, many Floridians who have been laid off or had to cover unexpected COVID-19-related expenses don't know where to turn to get their next meal. D-SNAP could make all the difference for struggling families and I hope that USDA acts swiftly to approve this much-needed aid."

Besides Rubio and Wilson, other signers include U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., Charlie Crist, D-Fla., Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., Val Demings, D-Fla., Ted Deutch, D-Fla., Lois Frankel, D-Fla., Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., Al Lawson, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Donna Shalala, D-Fla., Darren Soto, D-Fla., and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.